Broadside-firing deck torpedo-tube.



M.P.HAYJ&F.GUHRAUER BROADSIDE FIRING DECK TORPEDO TUBE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.13, 1914.

Patented June 16, 1914.

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INYENTORS Jay M ATTORNEYS CQLUMBM PLANDGRAPH C01. WASHINGTON. D. cA

M. F. HAY da F. GUHRAUER.

BROADSIDE FIRING DECK TORPEDO TUBE.

'APPLICATION FILED 1111111.13, 1914.

1, 1 00,481 Patented June 16, 1914.

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UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEroE.

MARLEY FOTI-IERINGHAM HAY AND FERDINAND GUHRAUER, 0F DUMBARTON,

SCOTLAND.

IBROADSIDE-FIRING DECK TORPEDO-TUBE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 16, 1914.

Application le. March 13, 1914. Serial No. 824,437.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that we, MARLEY FoTrIEiuNc-` RAUER, a subject of the King of Hungary,I

residents of Dumbarton, Scotland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Broadside-Firing Deck Torpedo- Tubes, of which the following is the specification.

The invention relates to pivotally mounted deck torpedo tubes for under-water firing on submarines and the like, and has for its object to provide effective means for avoiding damage of the torpedo due to the flow of water past the emerging torpedo when firing takes place under way at a consider able angle to the vessels direction.

According to the invention, there is vertically pivoted within the torpedo tube, 4enlarged to receive it, a secondary tube within which lies the torpedo or the forward portion of it. The tube proper is of such shape that the secondary tube may swing within it on its pivot through a horizontal arc adequate for the purpose hereinafter set forth. Thus at a determined point in its travel the emerging torpedo leaving the t-ube proper is wholly borne by the secondary tube, which being free to swing upon its pivot, allows the emerging torpedo to accommodate itself to the flow of water by swinging out of the direct path of aim--to which of course it subsequently returns under the action of its gyroscope.

In carrying out the invention according to;

an illustrative example, the tube proper may be mounted upon any convenient form of turntable upon which it may be swung as usual for aiming. Within the forwardend of the tube proper is vertically pivoted on trunnion pivots the secondary tube, means being provided to prevent leakage 0f water at the junction, for example by means of a spherical joint coaxial with the pivot-s. The mouth of the tube is provided wit-h a lid operated by any convenient form of gear, and with means for the admission and discharge of water.

Any convenient means of firing may be used-it being however essential that such scope of the torpedo is started a certain predeterminate time before the actual firing takes place. Y

The tube proper is inclosed in an outer casing all or part of which may be utilized as a reservoir for compressed air.

In order that the invention and the manner of performing the same may be properly understood, there is hereunto appended a sheet, of explanatory drawings in which- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation and Fig. 2 a plan of the improved deck torpedo tube. Fig. 3 shows a sectional plan of the turntable on the line a, Fig. 1. Figs. 4 and 5 show transverse sections of the torpedo tubes respectively on the lines bb, c-c, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is an end elevation partly in section to show the firing valve, while Figs. 7 and 8 show diagrammatically the firing connections and the arrangement of valves respectively.

As shown in the drawings, the torpedo tube 1 is mounted on a turntable 3 carried in a socket 4 attached to the deck of the submarine. The turntable 3 has on it a gear wheel 5 driven by a pinion 6 on the upper end of a shaft 7 On the other end of the shaft 7 is a worm wheel 8 gearing with a worm 9 which is driven by a motor 10. ithin the tube 1 is a secondary tube 2 carried by pivots 13 in the mouth of the tube 1. This tube 2 extends for only a portion of the torpedo tube 1 which is widened for the length of the secondary tube, so that it has a certain amount of freedom to swing about the pivots 13. To prevent leakage past the pivots 13, a ball and socket joint 11, 12 is provided in the mouth of the tube 1. The mouthof the tube 1 is closed by a lid 14 which has a valve controlled water connection 17 extending within the ship. The lid 14 is moved to or from the mouth of the tube 1 by means of a link 15 actuated by gear 16 from within the ship. During this movement the lid 14 turns on a hinged oint 51 in the water connection 17. Through the uppermost pivot 13 is a passage 24 closed by a check valve 25 and communicating with the tube 1 by means of a passage 26. From the forward end of the tube l an air tube 18 communicates with a valve 2O inside the ship through a passage 19 in the turntable 3,

and from the after end another air tube 21 8) through a passage 22 in the turntable 3. Around the tube 1 is a casing 27 the after part of which is arranged to form a tank 28 which communicates through a tiring valve 3 0 and a check Valve 29 with the tube l.

The tiring Valve 30 is attached to a piston 31 of greater area than the valve and has a number of small holes in it. On the other side of the piston 31 from the check valve 29 is a small valve 32 communicating with a tube 33 and hence to a valve 36 inside the ship Vthrough a passage 35 in the turntable 3. The" Valye 36 also communicates through the passage 35, thetube 33 and a check valve 34lwith the air tank 28, so that compressed air may be charged into the tank 28 from inside the ship.' The spindle of the valve `3Q"extends through its casing, so that when the torpedo tube is in the position in which itisclo'sed by the 14, the spindle may be pressed up bya screwed shaft 37 operated within the ship, thus hermetically closing lthe valve 30. The rino' connections consist of rods 38 and 45 linlred together through a Vertical rod 44 and actuated by a rod .5O'through a bell-crank lever 49, the 5,0 passingv up through the center of the able 3' from the usual tiring apparatus. M dii'nted o-n `the rod 38 is a piece 41 which adtuats a vshaft 42, which in turn throws over al catch 43 to start the gyroscope on the tcrpedo 64. Farther forward on the same ofdf38 is another piece 40 which actuates links 39; in order to release a catch 48 afnd thus the torpedo. On the rod 45 is a pierce 4.6 operating a shaft 47, which in turn opens a vali/e732 to allow the torpedo to be firedy as hereinafter described.

In operation, the valve 30 being first hermetically closed by the shaft 37 bearing on the .Valve spindle and so pressing the valve ag'iinst; its seat, the tank 28 surrounding the 'aftrpart ofthe torpedo tube is then charged compressed air from inside the ship through', thev'valve 36, the passage 35, the

and the check valve 34 communicatwith the tank 28. The secondary tube 2 isthen lled with water from inside the ship thiollgh the lid 14 and the connection 17, the displaced finding its way out through passage 24, the check Valve 25 and the passage 2.6,'follolwed by the water which has new` illed the tube 2. This water passes iiito the tube 1 which is then also iooded. The, displaced air from the tube 1 escapes by the tubes 18 and 21 to the inside of the ship. thel operation of ooding thetubes may bef' reversed, that is, the water may be adniitted 'by the' tubes 18, 21 and the air discharged through the connection 17. The lid 14'fis 'then withdrawn from the mouth of the tube b'yimcans of the gear 16 and the tiring yalyte 30 unlocked by withdrawing the shaft 37 bearing'on the end of the Valve spindle. The torpedo is then ready to be tired, and is maneurered into position by means of the motor 10 operating the gear wheel 5 on the turn-table 3 through the worm gearing 8, 9 and the pinion 6 on the shaft 7.

In order to lire the torpedo, the rod 50 is operated by the usual tiring apparatus (not shown). The rod 50 operates the two tiring rods 38 and 45 through the bell crank lever 49. On the rods 38 and 45 being operated, the piece 41 on the rod 38 actuates the shaft 42, which in turn draws back the catch 43 tar enough to start the gyroscope before the torpedo is released. 0n still turther move ment of the tiring rods, the piece '10 on the rod 38 operates the toggle links 3S) and so releases the catch 48 which sets the torpedo free. At the same time the piece 46 ou the rod 45 operates the shaft 47, which in turn opens the valve 32 allowing the compressed air behind the Valve 30 to escape by way oi the pipe 33 into the ship. This last operation disturbs the balance of the valve 30 which then opens and allows the compressed air from the tank 28 to enter the tube and discharge the torpedo. The torpedo as it emerges travels in the line ot the tube so long as'it remains in the narrow portion of the tube 1, but immediately it is borne entirely by the secondary tube 2, it and that tube are free to swing about the pivots 13 and so accommodate themselves to the pressure of the water flowing past the mouth ot the tube by swinging out or' the direct path of aim-to which it of course subsequently returns under the action ot its gyroscopc.

That we claim is 1. In a broadside tiring deck torpedo tube of the type in which the tube is mounted on a turntable, a secondary tube pivoted near the muzzle of and within the torpedo tube. the latter being widened for the length ot the secondary tube.

2. In a broadside tiring deck torpedo tube of the type in which the tube is mounted on a turntable, a secondary tube lying` within the torpedo tube, the latter being widened for the length of the secondary tube, and means for pivoting the secondary tube near the muzzle ot and within the torpedo tube.

3. In a broadside tiring deck torpedo tube of the type in which the tube is mounted on a turntable, a secondary tube lying within the torpedo tube, the latter being widened for the length of the secondary tube, a ball and socket joint between the torpedo tube and the secondary tube, and vertical trunnion pivots for the secondary tube in this joint and coaxial therewith.

4. In a broadside tiring deck torpedo tube of the type in which the tube is mounted on a turntable, a secondary tube lying within the torpedo tube, the latter being widened for the length of the secondary tube, means for pivoting the secondary tube near the muzzle of and within the torpedo tube, and means for closing the mouth of and iiooding the torpedo tube.

5. In a broadside firing deck torpedo tube of the type in which the tube is mounted on a turntable, a secondary tube lying within the torpedo tube, the latter being widened for the length of the secondary tube, a ball and socket joint between the torpedo tube and the secondary tube, and vertical trunnion pivots for the secondary tube in this joint and coaxial therewith and means for closing the mouth of and flooding the torpedo tube` 6. In a broadside firing deck torpedo tube of the type in which the tube is mounted on a turntable, a secondary tube lying within the torpedo tube, the latter being widened for the length of the secondary tube, means for pivoting the secondary tube near the muzzle of and within the torpedo tube, a lid closing the mouth of the torpedo tube, a valve-controlled connection with the lid, a hinged joint in the connection, gearing operated from within the ship for moving the lid to and from the mouth of the torpedo tube about the hinged joint, and valve controlled pipe connections and passages from each end of the torpedo tube to and through the turntable.

7. In a broadside firing deck torpedo tube of the type in which the tube is mounted on a turntable, a secondary tube lying within the torpedo tube, the latter being widened for the length of the secondary tube, means for pivoting the secondary tube near the muzzle of and within the torpedo tube, means for closing the mouth of and flooding the torpedo tube, and means for firing the torpedo and for starting the gyroscope a certain predeterminate time before the firing takes place.

8. In a broadside firing deck torpedo tube of the type in which the tube is mounted on a turntable, a secondary tube lying within the torpedo tube, the latter being widened for the length of the secondary tube, a ball and socket joint between the torpedo tube and the secondary tube, and vertical trunnion pivots for the secondary tube in this joint and coaxial therewith, means for closing the mouth of and fiooding the torpedo tube, and means for ring the torpedo and for starting the gyroscope a certain predeterminate time before the firing takes place.

9. In a broadside firing deck torpedo tube of the type in which the tube is mounted on a turntable, a secondary tube lying within the torpedo tube, the latter being widened for the length of the secondary tube, means for pivoting the secondary tube near the muzzle of and within the torpedo tube, a lid closing the mouth of the torpedo tube, a valve-controlled connection with the lid, a hinged joint in the connection, gearing operated from within the ship for moving the lid to and from the mouth of the torpedo tube about the hinged joint, and valve controlled pipe connections and passages from each end of the torpedo tube to and through the turntable, and means for firing the torpedo and for starting the gyroscope a certain predeterminate time before the firing takes place.

l0. In a broadside firing deck torpedo tube of the type in which thetube is mounted on a turntable, a secondary tube lying within the torpedo tube, the latter being widened for the length of the secondary tube, means for pivoting the secondary tube near the muzzle of and within the torpedo tube, means for closing the mouth of and flooding the torpedo tube, a casing around the torpedo tube, the after part of which is ar ranged to form a tank for compressed air, a check valve in this tank, a tube leading to the check valve, a valve controlled passage in the turntable communicating with the tube, a firing and check valve between thel tank and the torpedo tube, a screwed shaft bearing on the end of the firing valve spindle, two firing rods extending lengthwiseI of the torpedo, a vertical shaft connecting the after ends of the two firing rods, an operating rod extending up through the center of the turntable, a bell crank lever connecting this rod with one of the firing rods and three lingers on the firing rods, two of which on the one rod actuate mechanism which first frees the gyroscope and then the torpedo, and the third, on the other rod, finally opening the firing valve.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARLEY FOTHERINGHAM HAY. FERDINAND GUHRAUER. Vitnesses JAMES EAGLEsoM, DAVID FERGUSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

